(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)

10:11 PM: We’re at Ingraham High School, where the West Seattle HS boys’ district-playoff game against top-seeded Garfield just ended with a 71-58 loss that doesn’t reflect how most of the game went – the Wildcats were ahead at the end of the 1st and 3rd quarters. They have at least one more game – Friday night vs. Bellevue at Bellevue College, 6:30 pm. Photos, video, and details when we get back to HQ.

12:37 AM: That exhilarating 3-pointer by WSHS #13 Vlad Salaridze is what ended the third quarter on a high note, putting the Wildcats ahead 43-40 after they clawed back from a nine-point halftime deficit, 32-23.

Though they fell behind in the second quarter, the first was a thriller, with #24, freshman Chase Clifton, nabbing six of the first nine WSHS points, punctuated by Salaridze’s first 3-pointer. Adding in strong rebounding and defense, the Wildcats led 17-10 when the first quarter ended.

Cold shooting hurt them in the second quarter. What hurt more in the fourth was that the Bulldogs simply seemed to decide to intensify, mowing through and leaping over their opponents in ways they didn’t deploy much in the first three quarters. While the end result was a disappointment, that couldn’t erase West Seattle’s overall strong performances. After Salaridze’s 19 points, #12, sophomore Isaiah Watts, had 16:

And #3, senior Sage Nelson, totaled 12:

Head coach Dan Kriley and the Wildcats must win Friday’s game to stay alive in the postseason.

Bellevue is 11-13 for the season while WSHS is 13-11.